(Widow) Death: In 1808, at the age of 26 years, John was left a widower by the death of Priscilla Page.3

Marriage: John Purcell married Ann (?) before 1816. This has been deduced from the fact that there were no marriages between John PURCELL and Ann in Sydney between 1788 and 1820.5

Death: John died on 17 December 1833 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, Not the John Purcell died in Yarmouth district 13 page 303 (free bdm) March quarter 1848 (Aged 51 years, worked back from recorded birth date).6

Secondary circumstances

Description: At the age of 31 years John Purcell was described as as 5'8.25", aged 31, Fresh complexion, Brown hair, round face. His occupation was a weaver.7

newspp: In 26 February 1820 John Purcell was mentioned in the newspapers. The report reads Newspaper notice - The Hobart Town Gazette, and Southern Reporter

Whereas on the Evening the 8th Instant,among other Articles stolen from myHut by some Person or Persons unknown, was a consolidated Bill dated Dec. 30th 1819, for the Sum of 15 Pounds 15s. Sterling, drawn in my favor by Lieutenant Vander Mulen on TERENCE MURRRY, Esq. Paymaster ef the 48th Regiment, at Sydney, on account of Substance of the Troops at this Station«--This is to Caution any Person from accepting the said Bill. (signed) JOHN PURCELL,

wit_to: On 31 May 1820, in Hobart, John witnessed A note written in Latin says that Joanne (John) PURCELL and Elenore WALSH were the sponsors of Dionysius (Dennis) CULLEN when he was Baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. Dennis was the child of Patrick and Elizabeth CULLEN.9

When we found William in Yarmouth in the census, we realised he was born in New South Wales in 1820. When William married in Yarmouth the occupation of his father (John) was said to be a soldier so I am currently researching children born to military personnel in the colony. Australia had about 30,000 white residents by this date, so this is, relatively speaking, an easier set of records to research than those in pre census England. I was able to find the birth of William and a sister Elizabeth, and records of John whilst serving in New South Wales and Tasmania.

Military Career

Records show that John Purcell served in the armed forces. I have found a John PURCELL listed as private in the 48th regiment of foot (Northamptonshire) in the pay records. He was with the regiment in Fermoy in Dec 1816 and then in NSW 1817. From 1817 until 1824, the 48th Regiment of Foot was stationed variously in Australia. They were stationed at Sydney, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Van Diemens Land, & Parramatta. At the time their commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel J. Erskine. We can assume this private soldier is NOT the one who was a a Lieutenant some years previously who was involved in civic court cases in NSW. We need to look for any records within the 48th regarding the carriage of wives with the soldiers (as there is no marriage for any of the Johns in NSW before the birth of the children. We could also look for the shipping records of one or the other when they returned to England.

The beginning of the 48th's term Sydney (1817-1820) and some research possibilities.

The Forward guard of the 48th regiment arrived onboard the "Pilot ", a convict transport at Port Jackson , on the 28th July, 1817. The regiment's Battalion Headquarters Division , under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Erskine,arrived onboard the "Barque..Matilda " . at Port Jackson on 3rd August 1817. On this voyage were 13 officers, 179 "other ranks "and 50 women and children. The remainder of the 48th under Brevert Major Thomas Bell,CB, sailed on HM. ships " Lloyd's ", carrying 200 of the garrison arrived on 30 August, 1817 & "Dick " under Major Gilbert Cimitiere with the largest party arriving 3rd September 1817. The 48th's stay in N.S.W. had began during turbulent times in the colony. The governor had established a settlement that was progressing forward as a town of fortune. But the unrest between the Government and the military had caused a great deal of friction within the settlement . Regiments were replaced on a fairly regular basis as they had a tendency to do as they pleased . The 73rd regiment replaced the 102nd regiment ,as the officer had deposed the then governor Royal Navy Captain William Bligh and seized control of the government of the colony in 1809. Eventually calm was restored and government control returned.

Sydney town had began to develop roads and outer colonies. Hobart Town had been settled as had Newcastle, Richmond, Parramatta and Windsor. Norfolk Island, settled in 1788 was all but abandoned. The Govenor of the time, Macquarie, had made many improvements which had bought him the admiration of the populace. The course of action he was to take next was to bring him in direct conflict with the 46th regiment the regiment that replaced his own, the 73rd . This was to flow on to the 48th. He intended to restore society with worthy emancipists, those who had completed their sentences and had established themselves as substantial members of the colonial community. This was opposed by the officers of the 46th regiment, when he wanted to introduce selected emancipistsinto the mess of the 46th. The tension between the government and the 46th grew. In July 1817 Macquarie intended to lay charges against the officers of the 46th for insubordination. Macquarie hoped that the arrival of the 48th regiment under a far more tolerant man's command would ease this tension. Macquarie instigated the "Rule of Exclusion " to apply to any regiment that succeeded the 46th. The 48th were barracked at the new George street barracks. They were to share the barracks with the regiment they were to replace, the 46th. The command accepted with reservation the "Rule of Exclusion " and tension eased. The 48th regiment took command from the 46th on the 12th of August at Hyde Park . The 48th was soon introduced to the formal duties of the colony with many of the officers and men confined to as they termed, mundane chores. This was in some ways not being the case for a good percentage. They were to assist in the exploration and settlement of a great number of territories. The 48th's problems with the 46th regiment were to follow them to many places,and many times bought them into direct conflict (politicly) with each other. When the regiment's tour of duty in New South Wales ended in 1824 , ten percent of the veteran Other ranks and several officers settled in N.S.W. Many regional centres and the surrounding towns were settled by members of the 48th regiment. Soldiers became farmers, trading their rifles for ploughs, their only enemies mother nature, not human nature.

Excerpt from Clem Sargant's book THE COLONIAL GARRISON 1818-1824 published 1996

I am working on the assumption that our PURCELL family did not stay in Australia, but went back with the regiment. There are 2 areas where we can prove/disprove this. I need to narrow down the areas of investigation to something small enough to handle, so I am forming=ming a hypothesis as a starting point. As soon as I find proof that the hypothesis is incorrect, I will reassess. We need to establish beyond doubt that the John who was a private in the 48th was the 'soldier' father of our William. We already know the following

1. There was only one John PURCELL who was fathering children in the colony at the time.2. There were other John PURCELLs living in the colony, one who may have been a lieutenant in one of the earlier regiments in Sydney. (I think it more likely our John is the private as William used the term soldier on his marriage certificate. If this soldier had had an officers rank I would think they would have wanted the rank on the certificate).

Finding an Ann as a wife on on the Matilda may be enough, but finding Ann with the children returning to England (or India which is where a lot of the regiment went) will clinch it. There were often lists of names of passengers. There is also hundreds of pages of regimental documents on film in the Latrobe Library, none of which have been indexed, so I will have to do lots of reading over the next 12 months or so. The Latrobe Library is in the city, so it is a day's trip, I can't just pop over for a couple of hours at a time.

3. William at least was back in Yarmouth by 1841, when he was in prison for dept. He was 21 at the time, and the dept seems to have been for a business failure as he was noted as being a fish dealer. Thinking about this, he is fairly young to have started all this by himself, so I am expecting he had been in England for a few years at least prior to his short term in the Yarmouth lock up. Therefore it is less likely that he stayed in Australia until he was old enough to travel back to England on his own.

The 48th in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) 1817-1824 Lieutenant Henry Edward Robinson led the first party of the 48th to Van Diemen's Land, leaving Sydney, September 1817 with a small detachment of one Corporal (John Simpson) and nineteen Privates on board the transport "Pilot" as guards of 279 convicts. They arrived at Hobart Town on the 28th of September 1817. Corporal John Simpson and three privates returned to Sydney in November on board the "Frederick" as escort guards for two soldiers of the 46th charged with murder. It was not until 1853 that Van Dieman's Land became known as Tasmania. On the 24th of March, Major General Cimitiere ( one of very few to actually earn his rank without purchase) with Lieutenant John Cuthbertson , Ensign Lachlan McAllister and 80 men of Captain Watkins company of the 48th set sail for Port Dalrymple. They were to replace Stewarts 46th regiment who had become uncontrollable. The 46th were to be sent to India. While serving in Van Dieman's Land they had robbed and destroyed property, had become insubordinate and were in a total state of disarray . Major Cimitiere on leaving Sydney also carried with him very strict orders to remove the chief settlement at Port Dalrymple, issued by Govenor Macquarie. This was carried out and the settlement moved to George Town, a site chosen by Macquarie. On May the 25th 1819, the garrison moved to Georgetown. Many of the tasks of the 48th was the pursuit of convicts. This occurred on many occasions and became a very mundane chore of the 48th, but was always carried out with diligence. A bushranger of Van Dieman's Land, Michael Howe , (Royal Navy & Army deserter) who had been transported for highway robbery absconded, returned to his robbery trade was eventually killed during a gun fight with the pursuing members of the 48th. In a published account of this incident, Howe was run down by two members of the 48th (Major Bell and Private William Pugh known in the regiment as Big Bill ,at 5'2" tall it was a very strange title). Pugh, being the one to remove Howe's head. Beheading at this time was to be, according to records, a fit ending for any bushranger. During the 48th's service in Van Diemens's scandal and innuendo followed them in many ways, bringing disrepute to the regiment. In all cases it involved the officers, and not the men, who were to be responsible for the name of the 48th being bought in such disrepute. Cimitiere and many other officers eventually having to answer to Colonel James Erskin commander of the 48th for their actions. During the 48th's term in Van Dieman's Land, they were responsible for the capture of many escaped convicts, more than any regiment stationed before and after their departure. Undoubtedly, the major achievement of the 48th regiment in Van Diemen's Land was the establishment of the settlement at Macquarie Harbour. The opinion of the time was that the convicts were subjected to harsh conditions in this secondary settlement. This view haunted the 48th for many years. One should take into account the conditions, the terrain and the position of this harsh part of Van Dieman's Land. Lack of access and communication as well as the many terrain difficulties to overcome made the final achievement by both the 48th regiment and their charges one to be admired not condemned. On the 7th of April 1824, the 48th regiments service was ended in Van Diemen's land. On return of the regiment, from Macquarie Harbour, 1 Captain (Major) [ Brevet Major Bell ] 1- Ensign, 5-Sergeants, 5- Corporals, 1- Drummer, 132- privates, with 32 wives and 72 children departed on the "Tritan" for India, The 48th had done their duty in Van Diemen's Land.

Excerpt from Clem Sargant's book THE COLONIAL GARRISON 1818-1824 published 1996.

Military

Research Notes

Research note 01: Military notes - 1. From 1817 until 1824, the 48th Regiment of Foot was stationed variously in Australia. They were stationed at Sydney, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Van Diemens Land, & Parramatta. At the time their commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel J. Erskine.2. Have obtained a copy of THE COLONIAL GARRISON 1818-1824 published 1996.3. There are extensive census records (with names) from Tasmania in 1811 on Ancestry. Our John and family do not appear, but closer inspection of the 'rules' of the census reveals that the millitary were not meant to be counted/listed.

Research note 02: BDM notes -1. There is a 42 year old Anne PURCELL born in Ireland in the Salford Barracks in Manchester in 1841 census. The ages have been recorded 'exact', not in 5 year ranges. There is also a 13 year old Jane PURCELL who is a soldier's child, but no John to be seen anywhere. Unfortunately there is a William PURCELL aged 43, and this is most likely her husband, ALSO John was discharged from the army by the so this is a dead end. 2. I have not yet found a marriage between John and Ann in Norfolk between 1800 and 1837, and most Norfolk marriages have been recorded by the Norfolk History Society, so there is a good chance John and Ann married before he left Ireland.3. Note from Jean 2011 (my comments thus). Searched Library and found a John PURCELL buried 19th Dec 1833 at age 50. (this would make his DOB 1783 which matches our John). The copy of a certificate we have is for 1848 age 72 a mariner and an even older John burial 20th November 1864 aged 95 (both too old for our John). Register page in exhibits, but it tells us nothing more. I am quietly confident ths IS our man, and it tells us he was in Yarmouth. I (shirley) agree with the above, and have noted the death accordingly.

Research note 03: Many wills in Norfolk Records download site, and probate records in ancestry.com to investigate. Some downloaded and awaiting transcribing.

The following Persons leaving the Colony in the Brig Wellington, requests Claims to be presented :- John Conner, Robeit Smith, William Savory, John Purcell, Thomas Dnrkin, Isaac Clevell, James Goulding, John Oliphant, Richard Sisemore, Thomas Ralph, Charles Renfells, John Thompson, William Jones, Joseph De Silva, and Abraham De Silva..10

Research note 05: On the search for John in Irish records.1. In 1864 valuations the are 3 men - John, Patrick and John PURCELL living in Tawynaboll, Co Mayo. The houses and land was owned by David BURNS.2. John makes appearances in the Court Records, mostly for have possession of illegal spirits.3. There are NO PURCELL burials in Kilcommon4. The name of John and of Patrick PURCELL appears in this location in the 1911 census, as heads of families. These men are obvioulsy too young to have been the same John and Patrick from the valuations, but they are most likely descendents. They are all Roman Catholic, and all have both John and Patrick as names of children loiving with them at the time.5. The irish dog licences on findmypast have many PURCELL entries c1900 in the same places. I think this means that the part of the family that stayed in Ireland were still around prewar. As an example Patrick PURCELL of Ballycastle was registering Sheepdog in 1914.

Research note 06: The most likely ship John and Ann came to Australia on was "Barque..Matilda " Military Transport. Sailed on the 28th March 1817 Cove of Cork and after a voyage of 130 days reached Port Jackson on 3rd August 1817. 13 officers, 179 "other ranks "and 50 women and children.

Details of the Matilda and her sailings to Australia, the last being the one the 48th regiment was transported to Australia upon.

A Ship of 460 tons, She was built in France in 1779

1791 Captain Matthew Weatherhead

Voyages to Australia: She sailed from Portsmouth 27/3/1791 arriving in Sydney on the 1/8/1791, a trip of 127 days . On board were 230 males of which 25 died in transit , 205 arrived . The ship's Master (Captain )on this voyage was Matthew Weatherhead . The "Matilda " was part of the Third Fleet which consisted of the following ships." Atlantic ", " Salamanda ", " William & Ann " ," Active " , " Queen" ," Aldermarle" , " Britania" , " Admiral Barrington " , " Mary Anne " & the " Gorgon ". The "Matilda " returned to England only to return in 1813 .1813 Captain Collins

25/3/1813 She sailed from Sydney to Jervis Bay to explore the Shoalhaven under the command of Captain Collins . She returned to Sydney 13/4/1813 . An account of this voyage is in the Sydney Gazette 17/4/1813.1813 Captain Sam Fowler

She sailed from Sydney to Bass Straight then on to New-Zealand under the command of Captain Sam Fowler . She was attacked by Maoris at Port Daniel New-Zealand , later that year .1815 Captain Sam Fowler

She sailed from Sydney in February 1815 under the command of Captain Sam Fowler . At 3pm on the 18/2/1815 the Mate on deck noticed breakers off her starboard bow , they had discovered an unchartered reef . The Captain gave the reef the name of Fowlers Reef, this later became Nelson's Reef . This is recorded in the Sydney Gazette 8/11/1815. She then continued to Marquesas Islands , where she engaged in pealing operations . She reached Rooapooah 13/4/1815 & returned to Sydney 6/11/1815 . She then sailed to England .1817 Captain Matthew Weatherhead

22/3/1817 She began taking on supplies and loading passengers . These passengers were members of the 48th Regiment of Foot due in Sydney to replace the 46th Regiment . The "Matilda " sailed 28/3/1817 along with 2 other ships " The LLoyds " & " The Dick " These ships carried only a few of the regiment . The " Matilda " arrived in Sydney 1/8/1817 with the regiment on board including one Lt Edward Close and family , the founder of Morpeth . The " LLoyds" & " The Dick ". followed . The "Matilda " retuned to England . She took 127 days to sail to Port Jackson . This bettered the Mary Ann's record by 16 days, ships master Matthew Weatherhead Drove her very hard ,she was a very leaky ship and on arrival required extensive repairs . She had been detained two days by anchoring in the bay of Schouten Island . off Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania . There were 25 deaths during the passage , and on arrival 20 of her prisoners required hospital treatment . Many aged and infirm had been embarked and some of these men had been unfit to make the voyage . However ,the primary cause of the high death toll was probably the leakiness of the ship and Weatherhead's hard driving . The Matilda must have been a wet as well as a damp ship and scurvy was no doubt part of the result. The fact that while 10 convicts died between England and the Cape, 15 were buried at sea between the Cape and Port Jackson seems to bear this out ..

Research note 06: a soldier who came to Australia 1820 or before as part of the military contingent to manage the penal colony. His discharge papers show that he served in the 'East Indies' from Jun 1824. I have confirmation that service in India was always listed separately as the pension of soldiers who served there was 50% higher (pro rata?) than in other places. Australia as a location would not have merited a separate mention. His occupation as stated on his discharge papers was 'weaver'.

Background information on 48th Regiment of Foot - History of the 48th prior to embarking for New South Wales.

The Regiment was raised in 1741 during the War of Austrian Succession as the 59th of line. In 1745 it took part in the campaigning against the Young Pretender, fighting at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden. It became the 48th Regiment after Army reorganization in 1748. The 48th received its first battle honour in the America's at the Battle of Louisburg. The regiment was involved in the capture of Quebec under Wolf's command. The 48th was present at the capture of Martinique and Havanah in the West Indies before returning to serve in Ireland in 1763. The regiment returned to the West Indies in 1773. This area of the world became a graveyard for Britishtroops, with disease running rampant through the ranks. The remnants of the 48th were captured by the French who had entered the war of American Independence. Repatriated back to England in 1780, the war office began recruitment of troops in the Northampton District and it then became the Northamptonshire Regiment. It was not until 1788 that the 48th reached its full compliment of troops and was once again deployed to theWest Indies . But yet again, as fortune would have it, in 1793 the Regiment returned to England as it was so depleted, due to again illness. Because the French activity had increased in the West Indies, the regiment was again committed to the area in 1795. It was here that the first officer to join the regiment and to serve in Australia appeared. Lieutenant Gilbert Cimitier. By late August 1797, only 50 of the original 847 troops to leave England were able to fight, again due to rampant disease. After returning to England yet again to recruit troops, in August 1799, the 48th departed for Gibraltar. A member of the 48th, Ensign Thomas Bell, custodian of the colours, planted the colours at St Angelo in Malta when the regiment recaptured the island from the French in September of 1800. In 1802 from Malta ,the regiment returned to England. The second Battalion 48th was raised at Manchester as a limited line battalion of existing full service lines, the trek to the Peninsula had began. Both Battalions of the 48th were despatched to this area. (note from Shirley E as this is a bit obscure- The 'Peninsula War' was part of the Napoleonic Wars fought on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain and Portugal) As history shows very few of the original 900 or so troops were to survive this war. Only one Battalion wasto eventually return to England, a combination of the 1/48th and the 2/48th. On 10th of April 1814, the 48th regiment fought its last battle in Europe at Toulouse, a battle that need not have been fought as Napoleon had already abdicated on the 6th of April 1814. For the 48th the war was over. Since the regiment entered France they had lost 13 killed and 117 wounded. The regiment retired to Pauillac, and it was from here that a battle weary 48th regiment returned to Ireland on the 19th of June 1814. (Another note from Shirley - all the above records ARE NOT available in Australia. We only have regimental records that pertain to the Australian service of the regiment, starting in the quarter just before the regiment embarked for Australia from ireland. John was already in the regiment by then, so if we need to find out where he was enlisted from we will need to get access to the records kept by the war office in London. No need to even think about this until we are more certain this John is our John). The 48th regiment fought in several of the American battles but were mainly garrisoned in Southern Ireland. The 48th regiment was not called for battle duty at Waterloo, mainly because of the sadly depleted force they were. In December of 1816 whilst stationed at Naas near Dublin , orders were received for the 48th to embark for New South Wales. The first of the 48th to embark for N.S.W was a guard detachment of 1 sergeant and 30 rank and file of the 48th & 46th Regiments, under the command of Lieutenant Franklin of the 69th Regiment. They sailed from Cove of Cork onboard the "Pilot ", a convict transport on 9th March 1817 and reached Port Jackson after a voyage of 123 days on 28th July, 1817. The regiment's Battalion Headquarters Division , under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Erskine,embarked on the "Barque..Matilda " 22nd March 1817. On this voyage were 13 officers, 179 "other ranks "and 50 women and children. Six days later they sailed from Cove of Cork and after a voyage of 130 days reached Port Jackson on 3rd August 1817. The remainder of the 48th under Brevert Major Thomas Bell,CB, sailed on HM. ships " Lloyd's ", carrying 200 of the garrison arrived on 30 August, 1817 & "Dick " under Major Gilbert Cimitiere with the largest party arriving 3rd September 1817. The 48th presence in the colony of N.S.W. had commenced.

(Yet another note from Shirley E - I will be able to follow John PURCELL the Private each quarter when he got his pay. The records usually show where he had been during the preceding days (allowances of money instead of beer when they were 'on the march'), and if he had been subordinate (stoppage of pay etc). This will be a long job, but worth doing, as if we can find ANY mention of wife and kids, or if we can prove he (or his wife I guess) was in Hobart when Elizabeth was born, then we will know he is ours. None of the regimental records of postings and duties seem to show the names of the other ranks). I may end up taking photo's of all the pages of the films, as is is much easier to read the pages from my computer screen at home than on the bloody film readers in the library. I have already confirmed it is allowed. It will run into many hundreds of pages. When the regiment's tour of duty in New South Wales ended in 1824, ten percent of the veteran other ranks and several officers settled in N.S.W. I am expecting that we will find that OURS did NOT. There is already extensive information published by family researchers about the ones who stayed and sired Australian families, and our PURCELLS are not amongst them.

AN EXAMPLE - Private John Waddington joined the 48th Regiment on 15th August 1803 aged 23 years from the Army of Reserve in Manchester. In civilian life John was a sweeper. He took his discharge in Sydney on the 13th November 1824 after serving with the regiment for 21 years and 91 days. Awarded the MGSM (Military General Service Medal ) with 10 clasps,his medal is on display at the Naval & Military Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. John returned to England to be reunited with his wife Margaret and only child, daughter Alice. The family returned and settled at Morpeth, N.S.W . John was 5 feet & a quarter inch tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion. John was baptised on 19th October 1783, England, married Margaret Cawe on 20 December 1814, Blackburn, England & died 9th January 1855 and is buried at Morpeth Cemetery, New South Wales Australia.